


Keep the Harmony

by Gembrosia



Category: Steven Universe - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 02:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1493257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gembrosia/pseuds/Gembrosia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garnet and Steven  talk about the nature of Pearl and Amethyst’s constant arguments.  For the most part, takes place soon before Giant Woman, right before Garnet leaves to find the location of the beetles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep the Harmony

“Why do you have to be all up in my business about this?  What is it to you?!” Amethyst shouted irately, standing up to her full height and glaring up at Pearl.

Pearl’s brows furrowed in angry determination, “Because if you don’t take care of that mess someone is going to get hurt-“

“No one besides me hardly goes in there.  It doesn’t matter!  Nothing for you to get your tutu in a twist about, P.”

Pearl looked away, not wanting to point out Amethyst was that someone she was concerned about.  Her brief passive expression was replaced with one of frustration, “Well fine then!  If something happens you’ll have your own stubbornness to blame,”

For a short moment the realization of Pearl’s thought process registered with Amethyst, but it was quickly brushed off by her own bristling irritation.  “FINE!  It’s not like you care what happens to me anyway!”

Arms crossed, shoulders hunched, and faces turned away from each other.

“Garnet,” Steven piped up quietly, “why are Amethyst and Pearl always yelling at each other?”  He asked in a sad tone.  He looked up at the red gem from his position next to her on the couch they were both seated in the other room.

Garnet turned her face down toward him.  She let out a soft hum, thinking of how to reply.

_“Garnet, I’m worried about them,” Rose sighed looking toward Pearl and Amethyst a short distance off.  A fight between them, fought with yelling and tears, had just ended.  Both were now on opposite ends of the same room, faces flushed and eyes stubbornly avoiding each other.  Rose gently placed a hand on her swollen belly which only grew bigger by the day.  “Will you promise to keep the harmony when I’m gone?”_

_Garnet looked down silently, not wanting to discuss the future she still didn’t want to accept would come to pass._

_Rose placed a loving hand on the shoulder of her trusted second-in-command.  “Garnet, please.  They are going to need you more than ever.”_

_Garnet sighed, rubbing at her temples, “I know.”_

“They didn’t always fight,” Garnet replied simply after a long pause to think, “Or at least, not as much as they do now.”

“Really?  How did they used to be?”  Steven’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Hmmm, they were more…light-hearted, more carefree.  Well, Pearl was, Amethyst still is.  But she was maybe a bit less difficult.  They got along well, joked a lot.  Together.”

“Pearl joked?” Steven gasped incredulously.

“Hard to believe, I know,” Garnet said, smiled slightly with a half-chuckle, “They were happier around each other.  And on missions they always had each other’s backs.”

“What changed?”

_Rose leaned in closer, speaking with an encouraging, soft warmth to her voice.  “I know what I’m doing is going to hurt the balance.  For a while.  But I believe in you Garnet, there is no one else I could trust above you.  You are brave, strong, and you have a kind heart.  I’m sorry to make things hard for you, but I know you will do me proud.”_

_Garnet let out a deeply stressed breath, not wanting to show how upset she was.  But it was to no avail.  Rose could easily sense the feelings of her companion, with whom she had had spent centuries learning about in their time together.  She brought the gem’s powerful hands with jewel-studded palms into her own, which were soft and powdered pink, like the petals of a freshly bloomed rose.  But, they were also firm and protective, like the paws of a lioness._

_“I love you, I love all of you.  So, so much.  More than I could ever express.”_

_“Then why are you abandoning us,” Garnet managed to choke out, shoulders shaking with emotion, “Do you love him more-“_

_“It’s not like that,” Rose brought a hand up to Garnet’s cheek to wipe away a tear.  “It’s something hard to explain, but you’ll understand in time.”_

_She brought her beloved companion into a warm, engulfing embrace and held her for a long time.  More tears fell as Rose spoke soft words, comforting like the knell of a wind chime in a small breeze._

Garnet smiled warmly, reflecting on something sweetly nostalgic, “Rose Quartz…”

“My mom?  How did she help?”

Garnet gazed at Steven lovingly through her shades, “She was good at keeping the harmony.”  She then let out a tired sigh, “I’ve tried but I’m not as good at it as she was.”

“Garnet you’re amazing!”  Steven argued, “There’s isn’t anything you can’t do!”

Garnet placed a hand on Steven’s head and affectionately ruffled his hair, “Do you want to know a secret, Steven?”

Steven smiled wide and let out a small, thrilled gasp, “Yes!”

“You may not believe it, but I can’t always do everything by myself.  I need help too.”

“R-really?  Is there something I can do?”

“Actually, I think it’s something only you can help me with.”

“What is it?”  Steven asked, leaning toward Garnet in anticipation for her answer.

“I need you to help me keep Pearl and Amethyst from fighting so much.”

“Oh!  Sure!”  Steven’ face fell from enthusiasm to confusion.  “How?”

Garnet chuckled, “You have to help remind them that they care for each other.”

Steven scratched at his head, “I dunno if I know how to do that…”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure you will figure it out.  After all, you are the perfect one for the task.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Garnet said smiling.  He was born for it really, she thought to herself.  “They both love you, Steven.  That’s some common ground between them.  You bring them together without trying.”

Steven practically glowed with the smile that formed on his face at Garnet’s words.  Then his eyes lit up with an idea, “Oh!  Maybe a game will help them get along.  Games are good for fun and jokes right?”

Garnet pat him on the shoulder, “That’s a brilliant idea, Steven.  You should try it.”

She watched him excitedly run off, calling out to Pearl and Amethyst who were grumpily pouting in their separate areas of the living room.  He had the wrist of each gem in one of his hands, dragging them while babbling animatedly about checkers and water balloons.

_“You have to understand, this is very important.  About Pearl and Amethyst.”_

_Garnet took a deep, cleansing breath to let go of any lingering sadness to focus on Rose’s words._

_“What will soon come to pass is going to put a lot of stress on their relationship.  It already is.  They’re going to be at odds with each other over their differences, more than they have been.  They’ll fight, a lot.  And I’m not going to be here to soothe things.  It will be rough being caught in the middle of it, but you’re going to have to do your best to be the mediator in my stead.”_

_“How am I going to do that?”_

_“You have to remind them how much they loved each other before this, and how much they still love each other now.”_

_“What if they won’t listen…”_

_“They will, they respect you.  Besides, you won’t have to do it alone for too long I don’t think.”_

_Garnet turned toward her and cocked her head slightly, “What do you mean?”_

_Rose brushed a hand gently over her round belly.  Her gem gleamed subtly in the light of the fading sun that filtered through the nearby window.  She smiled and closed her eyes._

_“You’ll just have to believe in what I say,”_

Garnet looked at Steven grinning giddily as he stood between a disgruntled Pearl and Amethyst on the crystal platform.

“Steven,” She called out to him.  He looked to her.

She held up a finger, “Be sure to keep the harmony.”

“No problem!”


End file.
